The X30 is the right size for goats and works well. The only drawback to this model is if you have alot of goats to disbud each year. The tips on my friend's eventually have worn out. If you only have a few does, this one should be fine. The X50 can be fitted with a goat tip which you can get from Caprine Supply. The nice thing about the X40 and X50 is that if the tip does eventually wear out, you only need to replace the tip, not the whole iron. I have the X40, which was a bit cheaper than the X50. I like it.

 

I have the X40, and it is ok to me (but I've probably used it 90% of the time with an extension cord, so that may be the problem). I question that the added tips do not get hot enough. I bought a buck tip and it didn't get hot. I had to then wait for my iron to cool and remove it to do the buckling I was trying to do.

 

I love the X50, you can disbud kids and never stop to let the iron heat up. I don't purchase a tip, I use a 3/4 inch bushing with a wide wall. In the past we simply used water hose fittings. This makes sure you have a good clean burn around the whole hornbud, and not just on top of it, it also lets you burn kids who are a little older, it sits around the emerging bud and not simply rock on top of it.